In September 1943, 191 soldiers of Montgomery's 8th Army downed guns and refused to take part in the battle for Salerno in southern Italy. It was the biggest wartime mutiny in British military history.

The mutineers were all members of the Tyne Tees (50th) and Highland (51st) Divisions. Prior to the mutiny all bar one of them had unblemished service records. They had fought together through much of the desert campaign against Rommel in north Africa, and had formed strong regimental bonds. General Montgomery encouraged this 'esprit de corps'. Loyalty to your unit was the cement that bound his formidable army together.

The men of this story were amongst those who became separated from their units when the victorious 8th Army moved on to Sicily.

What was the result of this mutiny and did they deserve their ultimate punishment??????

I see what you mean, It seems the so called mutineers were put into circumstance beyond their control. Sentencing their sergeants to death, definitely seems overly harsh! Lucky that the high officer intervened on their behalf! We look at these mutinies a bit differently today!

Regards,Dave

---------------"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract."

Today these events are regarded quite differently from how they were seen even 60 years ago - and it's worth considering how attitudes have changed in the past few hundred years.

Mutiny can be described as an organised act of disobedience or defiance by two or more members of the armed services. Mutiny may range from a combined refusal to obey orders, to active revolt or to actually crossing the combat lines to fight for the enemy.

Such rebellion can be committed by whole armies, or on a private vessel either at sea or in port. Mutinies often occur in the armed forces of nations on the point of suffering defeat, as with the mutiny of the German navy at Kiel in 1918, and the Austrian navy at Cattaro. A mutiny can also be the signal to start a wider revolution, as were the Russian mutinies in 1905 and 1917 at Kronshtadt.